ORA students at Queen’s have certainly been busy in their first week, competing in sports competitions and talent shows and learning Oxford tradition and stage combat skills.
Masterclasses
Masterclasses at Queen’s got off to a roaring start in week 1, with the Stage Combat class providing useful lessons in improvisation. Students were encouraged to imitate the demonstrations provided by the teacher, with most pupils doing so with enthusiasm and precision. Learning how to engage in faux combat was a task enjoyed by the students, who continued practising after class.
Talent Show
With everyone already well-acquainted, it was exciting for the students to come together and find out what secret talents their new friends held. With skills emerging including group dancing and rapping to singing and comedy, the evening was full of supportive cheers and applause.
The range of talents was impressive, and pupils particularly enjoyed a dancing troupe who smiled and laughed the entire way through their performance. With so many great acts to choose from, we don’t envy the judges who ultimately declared Johannes, who performed an ORA rap, to be the Queen’s Talent Champion. Congratulations Johannes, there was some stiff competition but with sheer talent, you stole the show!
Basketball
To release some energy, our students staying at Queen’s played some basketball last week. Some had never played the fast and thrilling sport before, but experienced players were patient and willing to help their friends learn. With everyone up to speed on the rules, the games commenced and newbies turned into seasoned pros as the ball bounced from one end of the court to the other. It was a thrilling way to spend the afternoon, and many keep asking to play again!
Punting
When in Oxford, do as the Oxfordians do – and that’s exactly what our students did. Taking to the river in small wooden boats, our pupils experienced punting, an age-old tradition, and had a go at pushing the boats along themselves.
Fortunately, the weather shone down on our pupils as they floated down the river and enjoyed the historic landscape of the city of Oxford. The experience was certainly a jolly one, with students chatting away loudly and the sound of laughter echoing far down the river.
Cake Decorating
Pupils staying at Queen’s definitely deserved some time to unwind, and what better way to do so than with delicious cupcakes? Equipped with icing, sprinkles and sweets, everyone got stuck in with designing crazy and beautiful cupcakes, which were quickly eaten after the activity finished.
ORA Olympics
The exciting ORA Olympics took place over the weekend – click here to read all about it.
Though week 1 is over, week 2 is already well and truly underway so keep an eye on these blogs to hear what our students get up to in the coming days.
